Match-box.



MATCH BOX. arrucmom nuzo mu: 23. ms.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Emi ia/womb W'YATT B. MADDEN, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, till d.

Application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lYYATT B. 'li/IADDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of sea Lake and State of l tah, have invented new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in match boxes, the object of the invention be-' ing to p ovide an improved match box which is e *pted to hold a quantity of matches an 1s provided with means for delivering the matches one at a time as needed} The invention consists in the construction,

. combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying draivings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a match box constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional-viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of the inner case. Fig. 5 is a siinilarniew of the ejector. Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the bottom of the outer case, showing the construction of the cam groove.

In the embodiment'of my invention 1 provide an outer case 1 and an inner case '2.

The outer case has a bottom a front wall l, end walls 5, a hinged top 6 and is also provided with a pair of inner walls 7 which arespaced from the end walls5thereby forming a central vertical chamber .8 in the outer case and chambers 9 and ll) at the ends of the outer case. The chamber 8 is open at its lower end, the bottom 11 of the chamber 9 is spaced from the bottom 3 of the outer case and the chamber 10 has an inclined bottom 12 which leads to a hinged door 13 in the contiguous end wall 5. The upper end ofthe'chamber 8 is formed by a horizontal partition It in which is a slot 15. A chamber 16 is thereby formed above-the partition. The end wall 5 at a point below the chamber 9 is provided witha match delivery opening 17, the other end wall 5 is provided at its lower end with an open ing 18. v

T he inner case 2 is detachably fitted in the chamher S with its upper open end under the partition ll. The inner case has'its rear wall provided with an opening 19. The front and rear walls of the inner case are inclined and converge downwardly at their 7 lower ends as at :20 to form a contracted passage 21 for the matches placed in said inner case. At one side at the lower endof the inner case are bearings 22 for a shaft 23. Said shaft has match fitting valves 2i secured thereto for rotation therewith. The said valves are provided with radially spaced arms 25 which are adapted to enter the passage 21 through openings or slots 26 in the lower portion of the rear wall of the inner case. A follower 27 is provided to press downwardly on the matches in the inner case. This follower is arranged for vertical movement in the inner case and is connected pivotally as at 28 to the crossed arms 29 at the lower end of a lazy-tongs 30, the upper crossed arms 31 of the lazy-tongs extending through the slotlo being pivot ally connected together andto the partition ll by a suitable pin 32'and having their ends attached to a coiled retractile spring 33. coacts with the lazy-tongs to force the follower downwardly.

A. pair of guiding and igniting jaws 3-iare arranged just within the opening 1'? and are provided with opposing frictionsurfaces An ejector 36 is slidahly mounted on the bottom 3 of the outer case.

and has a stud 37' which operates in a cam groove 38 lathe bottom of the outer case,

It will be understood that the spring said cam groove having a straight-arm 39 and a substantially semi-ellipticalarin l0 the ends of which communicate with the ends of the straight arm. Springfswitoh elements 39, 40 are :u'ranged near opposite ends ot" the cam groove and respectively close normally across the arms 39, let". The ejector also has a wing l]. for operating the match delivery valves. 3i coiled eX- tensile spring ii? is arranged with one end engaged in the ejector and the other end bearing against one of the-walls 5 near the opening 18. An operating cord l3, which in practice may be a wire or a chain, passes through the opening 15 and alsothrough the spring 42 and is attached to the ejector. By the provision of the straight and semielliptical arms of the cam groove and the provision of the spring switch, the stud 31' of the ejector. when the ejector is moved in one direction will travel in the straight arm 39 thus keeping the wing it in which will cause the wing to engage an arm of one of the valves and thereby turn the On the reverse.

shaft 23 in one direction. movement of the eJector, the spring switch the head, which is at of the inner case to chamber when 39will guide the stud 37 into the curved arm and hence the ejector will be moved laterally and cause the wing 41 to clear the valve. Near the end of the reverse movement of the ejector, its stud 37 passes again into the straight arm 39 of the cam slot, the spring switch 40 keeping the switch in said slot and during the next ensuing movement of the ejector, the wing 41 will again coact with one of the valves to impart another partial rotation to the shaft 23 and said shaft will only be turned in the required direction to'causeits valves to drop the matches singly and in succession from the discharge passage of the inner casing. By drawing on the chain or cord the ejector can be moved in one direction against the tension of the spring to partly turn the valves so that .the valves can cause a match to drop from the bottom the bottom of the outer case directly in front of the ejector. \Vhen the cord is relaxed the spring *2 then moves the ejector in the reverse direction, causing the ejector to force the match partially through the opening 17 and between the jaws 34:. when the match is grapsed and drawn out through the said opening,

the lower end, in passing between the jaws is ignited by the friction surfaces thereof. Burned matches may be placed in the chamber 10, the upper end ofpwhich isopen. The door 13 enables the burned matches t be cleared out from said desired. The inner case is 42 and its wing caused held in the outer case by a detachable rear wall H with which the outer case is provided. Before supplying matches to the inner 'ase the follower must be pressed upwardly, which may be readily done by engaging the follower with the thumb and the spring 33 with the fore or middle finger.

Having thus described my invention claim 1. In a match box, a hopper element having a match discharge passage, revoluble valves to engage and force matches singly from said passage, a match ejector mounted for reciprocating movement and having means to actuate the valves, and means to operate said ejector.

2. In a match box a hopper element having a match discharge passage, revoluble valves to engage and force matches singly from said passage, an outer case in which said hopper element is arranged and having a bottom spaced from said discharge passage, a.match ejector mounted for movement on the bottom of the outer case and having means to actuate the valves, :1 spring to move the ejector in one direction and a cord to draw it in the reverse direction, against the tension of the sprin In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WYATT l5. MADDEN.

\Vitnesses:

M. Nowmn, W. ll. Hum). 

